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(No Model.)

W. H. SMITH. HEATING AND STEAMING GRAIN.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

wiLLIAM H. sMrrI-Lor HICKMAN, TENNESSEE.

HEATING ANDI'STEAMING GRAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,571, dated June 4, 1889. Application filed January 29, 1889. Serial No. 297,926. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SMITH, of Hickman, in the county of Smith and State of Tenn essee, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Heating and Steaming Grain, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for heating and steaming grain, specially wheat, so as to toughen its hull and consequently produce a better bran, an increase of middlings, clearer flour, and whiter break-flour.

The invention consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the ligures.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with parts in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line .fr of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the improvementwith the hood removed and parts broken out.

The improved device is provided with a steam-vessel A having a top B and a bottom C, in which is supported the drying-chamber D, located centrally in the vessel A and opening at its upper end into the hood E, held on top of the vessel A, and provided with a graininlet pipe E. The upper end of the hood E flares inward, as shown in Fig. l. rl`he lower end of the drying-chamber'D opens into the discharge-spout F, leading to the outside.

In the drying-chamber D are held the transversely extending steam-pipes G, passing through the walls of the drying-chamber and opening at each end into the steam-vessel A, so that steam can circulate through the said pipes. The latter are preferably arranged as illustrated in Fig. l, in which the pipes form two triangles, the apices of which meet in the center, while their bases form the top and bottom, so that the pipe G forms the apices of both triangles.

Into the stean1-vessel A lead the supply pipes H and H2, connected with the pipe H,

leading to a suitable source of steam-supply formed between the pipes L and E.

v'and provided with a valve Il3 for regulating the admission of steam to the vessel A. In

for carrying off the water of condensation.

From the top B of the vessel A lead the pipes J, supporting the steam-chest K and opening into the same. The steam-chest K of the drying-chamber D, and is similar in cross-section to the hood E. The upper end' of the steam-chest K is connected with apipe L, extending a short distance into the grainthe bottom C of the vessel A is held a pipe I, 5 5

is located. directly above the upper opening 6o supply pipe E. In the bottom of the pipe L is held a valve N, secured on a valve-stem N', extending through the hood E to the outside, so-that the valve N can be opened or closed whenever desired.

-In the pipe L are arranged a number of 7o horizontally-extending perforated pipes O, projecting beyond the pipe L into the space Steam from the steam-vessel A can pass through the pipes .Tinto the steam-chest K, and from the latter vwhen the valve N is open into the pipe L and through the perforated pipes O into the grain-inlet pipe E. The pipe L is closed at the top, as shown in Fig. l.

The operation is as follows: The grain en- 8o ters the device through the pipe E and passes through the space between the pipe L andthe pipe E over the projecting perforated ends of th e pip es O. Vhen the operator desires to steam the grain, he opens the valve N, so that the steam from the steam-chest K passes through the perforated pipes O directly onto the grain. rlhe latter, after leaving the perforated pipes extent. The grain then passes over the top B of the steam-vessel Aiuto the drying-chamber D and over the pipes G, through which passes the steam, as before described. rlhe .0, passes into the iiaring top of the steamchest K, which heats the grain to a certain 9o arrangement of the pipes G permits only a slow movement of the grain in its downward course, so that the grain is thoroughly heated and consequently dried before it is discharged froln the drying-chamber D into the spout F.

Vhen the operator only desires to heatand dry the grain, the valve N remains closed, so that no steam can escape into the grain through the perforated pipes O.

IOO

By thus treating the grain, especially wheat, I very materially tonghen the hull, so that a better bran is produced in the after treatment of the grain. After treatment the grain, as before stated, produces an increase of mid dlings, clearer flour, and a whiter breakflour.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y l. In an apparatus for heating and steaming grain, the combination, with a closed steam-vessel provided on top with a hood, of a drying-chamber located centrally in the said steam-vessel and opening at its upper end into the said hood, and a steam-chest located in the said hood above the said dryingchamber and in communication with the said steam-vessel, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for heating and steaming grain, the combination, with a closed steam-vessel provided on top with a hood, of a dryilig-chamber located centrally in the said steam-vessel and opening at its upper end into the said hood, a steam-chest located in the said hood above the said drying-chamber and in communication with the said steamvessel, perforated pipes held in the upper end ol the said steam-chest and projecting into the inlet of the said hood, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus for heating and steaming grain, the combination, with a closed steam-vessel provided on top with a hood, of a drying-chamber located centrally in the said steam-vessel and opening at its upper end into the said hood, a steam-chest located in the said hood above the said drying-chainber and in communication with the said steamvessel, perforated pipes held in the upperend of the said steam-chest and projecting into the inlet of the said hood, and avalve held in the said steam-chest for opening and closing the said perforated pipes, substantially as shown and described.

4l. In an apparatus for heating and steaming grain, the combination, with a closed steam -vessel connected with a snit-aide source ot steam-supply, a hood held on top of the said steam-vessel and provided with a graininlet pipe and a spout supported on the lower end of the said steam-vessel, of a dryingchamber held centrally in the said steain-vessel and opening at its upper end into the said hood and at its lower end into the said spout, pipes extending1 through the said dryingchambcr intov the said steam-vessel, a steamchest held in the said hood above the said drying-chamber and in communication with the said steam-vessel, a pipe extending from the upper end of the said steamchest, and perfo rated pipes extending transversely through the said pipe into the grain-inlet pipe, substantially as shown and described.

5. In an apparatus for heating and steaming grain, the combination, with a closed steam-vessel connected with a suitable source of steam-supply, a hood held on top ot the said steam vessel and provided with a graininlet pipe, and a spout supported on the lower end of the said steam-vessel, oit a dryingchamber held centrally in the said steam-vessel and opening at its upper end into the said hood and at its lower end into the said spout, pipes extending through the said dryingchamber into the said steam-vessel, a steamchest held in the said hood above the said drying-chamber and in communication with the said steam-vessel, a pipe extending from the upper end of the said steam-chest, perforated pipes extending transversely through the said pipe into the grain-inlet pipe, and a valve held in the said pipe to connect the same with or disconnect it from the steamchest, substantially as shown and described.

VILLIAM II. SMITH.

Vitncsses:

Guo. F. .Toi-insert, WILLIAM M. JonNsoN. 

